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Well, I'm back home now, so now its time for me to reflect on all that I have seen and done.

It was a very long flight (14 hours from Manila to Frankfurt) with quite a bit of turbulence on the way. But its great to be back and to see Helen and the boys again.

Not much else to say really, excpet thanks for all your support, prayers and comments. I found since I've got back that the man we went to visit in hospital on Monday evening has died.

But the work of Kanlungan goes on ... and in Streetlight we want to carry on supporting them. If you would like to join with us and are not already doing so, just follow the link from this blog to the Streetlight Trust website, download a standing order form and send it back to us! You can be assured that all of your money will be going to help some of the poorest people on the planet.

Thanks again

Mark

A Day of Contrasts

So ... what can I say about this extraordinary day? This morning the hell on earth that is Smoky Mountain, this evening a visit to what claims to be the largest mall in Asia, built since my last visit. Smoky Mountain is appaling, how can human beings live like that? The Mall of Asia is HUGE, at least one and a half times the size of MK Centre.

It is difficult to understand, except that the Mall has been built with foreign money and the country is bankcrupt ... owing billions of dollars from the Marcos years to foreign countries, no doubt including our own.

I don't know what the answer is ... but I do know this, Kanlungan makes a difference - a HUGE difference to the lives of the children it serves. Just because we cannot solve it all does not absolve from the responsibility to do what we can. For example, Streetlight money is taking one family from Smoky Mountain and providing the bus fare so they can make a new life back in their home province. But one day there will be justice ... there HAS to be justice.

It has been an enormous priveledge to spend these days with the staff and children of Kanlungan. I'm so grateful to Ate Sol and all at Kanlungan for the way they have looked after me for the last week. I have certainly not been out here 'on my own'! I also would like to thank Helen, Michael & Zac for letting me visit here - though I am looking forward to seeing you all again! Thanks are also due to those who have walked this way before me, especially Ian, Malcolm & Terry. Thanks to all who have read my blog and / or commented on it - its been great to have your prayers and your support. But most of all I am grateful to God that he has brought this opportunity to my life - not something I ever looked for or expected.

So tomorrow it will be time to head home. My flight details (for those who are interested!) are:

Depart Manila 2:15pm UK (9:15pm Philippines) Lufthansa LH 745
Arrive Frankfurt 4:20am (11:20am)

Depart Frankfurt 7:30am (2:30pm) LH 4722
Arrive Heathrow 8:05am (3:05pm)

See you soon (to my friends in the UK!)
Hope to see you again before too long (to my friends in the Philippines!)

Mark

PS I'm not very good at doing this subtly so ... if you not already doing so, please consider supporting Streetlight!!! Or even better, don't consider it ... do it!!!

A Busy Day!

Well - as the title says, its been a busty day today. Started with a visit to the family court where I met one of the judges there! Then on to the Manila Youth Recpetion Centre (MYRC) and the Rescue Action Centre (RAC). MYRC is where youth offenders are kept, RAC is a holding facility which 'rescues' street children and families, keeps them there for two weeks and then .... puts them back on the street again. Still at least there was a nice photo of the mayor there!!!

This afternoon I went with some of the Kanlungan staff to buy some computer equipment for the staff, which they are very pleased with. This also gave me a chance to get to have a good chat with them over a plate of fish fingers, battered squid and chips!!! (I though the squid were onion rings until I ate one!!!)

Then back to the Malate Centre and a visit to the Philippine General Hospital to see one Kanlungan's former residents who is in a very bad way. he was admitted with a broken leg 5 weeks ago, but now has hospital acquired pneumonia. No one knows where his family is - he was abaondoned as a young child and has been cared for by Kanlungan since then. They are his family now, and they treat him like that. Thank God they are here.

Tomorrow we go to visit Smoky Mountain. Should be interesting.

Take care

Mark

Church & Shopping!

Church this morning, then back to Malate Centre for lunch. Difficult day because one of the girls has left the centre and gone back to the streets, the loss the staff feel just brings home again how much they care for each child. Please join us in praying that she will return.

Ate Sol and Ate Joy (Ate means 'sister') had squid for lunch - but they spared me by providing fried chicken from Jolibee (I was most grateful!!!) Then Joy and I went shopping to spend the money that St Mary's Little Fishes raise on their 'Play-Doh Play-Day'.

This is the photo of all that we bought. For the farm - sunglasses (there is a lot of glare for the boys there), a basketball hoop, ball and pump. For the boys' home - another basketball hoop, ball and pump. For Malate - Snakes and ladders, chess, connect 4 and play-doh (of course!). For Laguna & Tunasan - chess, scrabble and snakes and ladders. So thank you for all those whop raised money for this - here you can see directly what it has been spent on - just one more reason to give to Streetlight!!! :-)

I have the rest of the evening off now - so its probably off to the Robinson Centre for some personal shopping and then settling down to watch the F1 Grand-Prix at 7:30pm with a 20 peso bottle of beer (that's about 20p!!!)

Take care

Mark

PS I have put up a new video showing what its like driving through Manila, actually its fairly tame - but it will give you some idea of what its like.

The Farm

Well, its been another excellent day. We went to the Kanlungan Farm, about a 2 hour drive outside Manila. This is a relativly new Kanlungan project, its been open just over a year. The idea is to provide a place for older boys who are not in formal education so that they can learn agricultural and other skills.

It grows bananas, pineapples, coconuts, pepper and coffee. The boys have learnt how to make charcoal and their are plans for them to dry and groind their own coffee. They want to build a prayer house, sleeping quarters and workshops so the boys can learn woodwork and other craft skills.

It seems like a million miles away from the streets on Manila, but infact - for Kanlungan - there is a very close link. I know that you will think I am biased - but it has hit home to me on this visit what a seriously impressive organisation Kanlungan is. Last night I wrote that 'Every Child Matters' - well the farm is a physical embodiment of that motto. It just shows how Kanlungan tries to provide an oppourtunity for every child that it comes into contact with, from the street education programme, to the temporary shelter, the residential home with additional space for boys in formal education to the farm which provides for those who are not.

My frustration is that we cannot do more ... because there is so much more that could be done and (perhaps more importantly) that Kanlungan has the vision and the skills to do. What they need is the funds!!!

Thanks so much for your support in reading this blog - I really love logging on and getting your comments, so if you're reading and you've not commented yet, please do!!

I've attached some photos, and a video of one of the boys up a coconut tree - enjoy!

Thanks

Mark

A Hot Day!

Its been very hot here today ... but its been another immensely rewarding day.

Began with a walk down to the Malate Centre, a five minute walk from the hotel across one of the craziest road junctions I have ever seen! The noise, the smell, the smog, the heat makes for an extraordinary mix ... but its such a buzz being there!

Then a car ride to the Tunasan Centre, a day care centre that works with many children who live on the side of the railway line. One little girl is blind and needs a cataract operation - it will be mostly funded by another Kanlungan partner - but there was a shortfall and Streetlight has been able to bridge the gap so that the operation can now go ahead.

Then on to the Laguna Residential Centre for an excellent lunch. I went to see the new Boys' home, where boys' over 12 are transferred so that it is easier for the girls in the main house. Many games of Connect 4 with the children - one boy was simply unbeatable!!!

Then back to the Malate Centre in the centre of Manila where I showed Ate Sol (who runs Kanlungan) this blog. This led to a discussion about how Kanlungan communicates with its supporters - and (to cut a long story short), she now has a blog!!! We haven't got anything on it yet, so I can't give you the URL yet, but when its up and running (hopefully tomorrow) you will be able to keep in touch with what is going on at Kanlungan directly!!!

Tomorrow we go to the Farm, which I'm really looking forward to.

Final thought - I think one of the things that ha simpressed me most on this visit is the individual care and attention that every child who comes into contact with Kanlungan receives. 'Every Child Matters' is often a terrible cliche - at Kanlungan its true.

Look forward to hearing from you - it really is great to see your comments.

Mark

Video Now Live!!

Have got the video listed ... follow the link on the right

The Mean Streets

Been out on the streets today. Even though I have done this before, it never loses its capacity to shock. I simply can't imagine what it must be like to live like that, but it was a fascinating insight into how the streets work.

I went with one of the street educators - and was very impressed with how well he knows his patch. He knows all the families, which brought home to me that these are not nameless 'street people' but a real community made up of real people, scratching out an existence on the absolute edge of the global economy. The trouble is, its always the children who suffer the most.

You might be sitting reading this and thinking 'that's terrible but there is nothing I can do about it'. Well, you would be right that it is terrible, but wrong that there is nothing you can do. You can pray ... and you can give. Check out the Streetlight Trust website for more details.

Many thanks

Mark

PS I've listed a short video on YouTube of children singing 'Our God is a Great Big God' - which has kind of become my theme song! Its not been processed yet but when it does I will provide a link here.

Back in Manila

Well, I'm back in Manila now. had a really good time away at Caliraya (the retreat place). Ian, Malcolm, Terry, Vicky, Jess & Cassia left at 7:30 this morning so by the time you are reading this in the UK they should be in Hong Kong. Please pray for safe travelling.

Had my first visit to the Malate Centre last night - it really is an amazing, happy, place. We joined them for a worship time - singing 'Light of the World' with the children is just the most amazing experience - it may not be polished, but it is some of the most heart felt worship I have ever taken part in. Was reminded of the verse "When the son of man returns will he find faith on the earth?" - Yes, if he returns now he will certainly find it in the back streets of Manila.

Having a bit of an easier morning now - have moved rooms now that the others have gone, sorted out my laundary and been over to the Robinson Shopping Centre for a coffee. Ate Sol is coming to meet me sometime before lunch and it will be off to Malate Centre and probably some time with the Street Education team this afternoon.

Thanks for your comments, it is great to log on and read them.

I'll see if I can get some photos on later - including a video of Ian & Malcolm doing 'Father Abraham' ...

Take care

Mark

Well .. I'm here! Thanks for all your comments. As ever thinkgs never quite work out as you expect - the internet cafe next to the Shalom has closed, and the one a bit further down the road was closed when I went this morning. But ... have now managed to get on to the net at the Kanlungan staff retreat.

We are in a beautiful centre about 3 hours south of Manila, with views of volcanos! All the staff from the different Kanlungan Centres are here, something they are not able to do very often because its expensive. Its great that Streetlight have been able to fund it as it gives the staff a chnace to relax together away from the pressures of the city.

The weather is hot!!! Flight was good, though did not sleep well last night due to jet lag, however I think I will be fine tonight so should be through it all by tomorrow.

Thanks for you comments and your prayers, it really does make such a difference.

God bless

Mark

Here I Go Again!

Well, some of you may remember this idea from the last time I went to the Philippines (only then I went with a load of Young People from Church) - so I thought I would try it again!

As last time, I'm visiting Kanlungan Sa-Erma, I refuge for Street children in Manila. Only this time, I'm flying out on my own, meeting a team that is already out there (Ian, Malcolm, Terry from the trustees, plus others) and then staying for 6 days after they have left.

Just in the last minute preparations at the moment (as well as the small matter of Good Friday & Easter Services!) - then I fly out Sunday evening from Heathrow.

My flight itinerary is:

Sunday 08-Apr LH4733 from Heathrow to Frankfurt: Depart 17:05, Arrive 18:35
then .... LH 744 from Frankfurt to Manila: Deaprt 21:45, Arrive (Monday) 11:10

I guess for me this visit is really about getting a better understanding of Kanlungan, now that we have set up the Streetlight Trust. That's why I think the time I am out there on my own will be so valuable - 100% of my focus can be on Kanlungan and understanding what they are doing.

So ... please pray for me as I fly out on Sunday. Also pray for Helen, Michael & Zac as they have to cope without me.

Next posting (unless I think of anything else to say before then!) will be from the Cybercafe next to the Shalom Christian Centre in Manila!

Thanks

Mark